The Brotherhood Way Community Resiliency Assessment

 Brotherhood Way Community Resiliency Assessment The objectives of this Community Resiliency Assessment are to identify potential hazards, prioritize their likelihood, and briefly summarize important contextual factors that will impact the severity of the hazard. These contextual factors include the accessibility of public transportation, community connectedness, the availability of goods and services, housing quality, economic wellbeing, demographics, health and well‐being. Community resiliency is a compilation of these contextual factors: the ability or inability of a community to prepare and respond to acute external stressors, such as a disaster or chronic stressors such as climate change. Brotherhood Way Community Resiliency Assessment: 1. An introduction to the neighborhood. 2. A summary of neighborhood resiliency indicators. 3. A hazard‐analysis of neighborhood vulnerability and resiliency. The hazards will be organized from greatest risk to least great risk. 4. All indicator maps with descriptions in the appendix. Introduction: Lakeshore and Ocean View For the purpose of Brotherhood Way community resiliency assessment, we examined the two neighborhoods immediately adjacent to Brotherhood Way: Lakeshore and Ocean View. Lakeshore extends east from the Pacific Ocean to Junipero Serra Boulevard. Its northern border in Stern Grove and its southern border is the edge of the city. The Lakeshore neighborhood includes recreational areas such as golf courses, Lake Merced, Fort Funston, and the San Francisco Zoo. The Lakeshore neighborhood also has a significant student population as it is the home of both Lowell High School and San Francisco State University. The Stonestown Mall provides most of Lakeshore’s commercial activity, while residential population is concentrated in the Parkmerced housing development. San Francisco Department of Public Health 1 Ocean View extends east from Junipero Serra to San Jose Avenue, and north to Ocean Avenue. The neighborhood is primarily residential, with Ocean Avenue acting as the main commercial corridor. The Ocean View neighborhood is crossed by Highway 280. The following two maps outline the commercial concentration of the Lakeshore and Ocean View neighborhoods and some of the public resources located nearby. San Francisco Department of Public Health 2 San Francisco Department of Public Health 3 Community Resiliency Indicators Community Resiliency Indicators measure both measure both resilience and recovery, to a hazard event and are also used to assess areas and populations of high vulnerability, which is often indicative of an inability to resist or respond to disaster. Vulnerability and resilience both play a role in how a disaster will impact a community and how that community will recover. The following list of community resiliency indicators was developed after an extension literature review, engagement process, and review by City staff and community members. More information on community resiliency indicators can be found in the appendix or at www.sfclimatehealth.org. The community resiliency indicators are divided into nine categories: hazards, environment, community, public realm, housing, economic, health, and demographic. Each category has a resiliency score on a scale of 1 (least resilient) to 5 (most resilient). The score is comparative and ranks Lakeshore and Ocean View to other San Francisco neighborhoods. The Lakeshore neighborhood has some unique data specificities that warrant attention. San Francisco State University hosts a large, transient, student population. While transiency (new to the county) has been identified as a community resilience indicator, colleges tend to mitigate the negative effects of transiency. While normal residents new to a neighborhood may be unaware of local services or may be socially isolated, college students are generally well‐
connected and have robust networks. Similarly, the community resiliency indicator definition of an overcrowded household is a household with one‐or‐more persons per room. Normally, an overcrowded household exacerbates the impact of heat events. Many dormitories have 3‐or‐4 students per room and, while falling under the definition of ‘overcrowded’, do not suffer the same impacts because the students are generally mobile, dormitories are more likely to have air conditioning systems, colleges develop the detailed emergency preparedness plans normal households lack, and dormitories generally employ resident assistants tasked with the safety of other students. Lastly, the homes of Lakeshore residents are concentrated along the eastern edge of the neighborhood while the golf courses, zoo, beaches, and Lake Merced occupy most of the western side. Statistics calculated by area (proximity to cooling centers, pharmacies, food score, transportation score) are for the entirety of the neighborhood and may overstate isolation from resources. While it is true Fort Funston may be far from a pharmacy, it does not impact the resiliency of Lakeshore residents. San Francisco Department of Public Health 4 The Lakeshore and Ocean View Neighborhoods are fairly resilient neighborhoods and score above the City average for mots indicators. Indicators where Lakeshore or Ocean View rate especially below San Francisco average will be highlighted red. Some specific indicators worth calling out include: English Language Fluency Those who cannot speak English may have a more difficult time interacting with city resources. Although this population may have strong informal social ties, isolation from city services puts those without English comprehension at increased risk in a hazard event. Elderly Populations Elderly populations are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease, more sensitive to environmental stressors, and are more likely to have mobility constraints. This population is more likely to be socially isolated and dependent on city resources. Ethnicity Because of historical and current structural, political, cultural and economic power imbalances, many minority groups lack the political access and economic resources to recover from hazard events. San Francisco Department of Public Health 5 Hazard
Lake Shore
Ocean View
San Francisco
Percent of the neighborhood in the 100 year storm
flood plain.
0.87%
0.00%
0.02%
Percent of the neighborhood in ‘high’ or ‘very high’
heat vulnerability areas
0.00%
10.42%
26.70%
Percent of the neighborhood in a liquefaction or
landslide zone
12.61%
3.59%
22.86%
4
4
Percent impervious surface
29.09%
65.12%
63.50%
Percent tree cover
17.38%
8.29%
13.74%
Percent of land with 'low' or 'very low' air quality
0.25%
3.66%
3.73%
Percent of the neighborhood within .25 miles of a
contamination risk
3.07%
5.69%
0.00%
5
3
Average minutes of active transportation (walk+bike)
per day
14.78
14.13
Public Transit Score
7.97
17.16
1
1
22.66
30.25
53.1
Voting rates in the 2012 Presidential Election
73.39%
66.80%
72.50%
Percent of the population that moved to San
Francisco within the last year
23.30%
3.51%
7.60%
Percent of the population without United States
citizenship
19.62%
21.61%
18.00%
Percent of population living in households without
English spoken “Very Well”
18.04%
35.09%
23.20%
2
2
Hazard Risk Score
Environment
Environmental Resiliency Score
Transportation
Transportation Resiliency Score
Community
Violent crimes, per 1000 people
Community Resiliency Score
16.4
San Francisco Department of Public Health 6 Public Realm
Housing
Lakeshore
Ocean View
28.84
44.84
Percent of the population over 25 with a high school
degree
91.73%
80.56%
85.90%
Percent of the land area within .25 miles of a
pharmacy
Public Realm Resiliency Score
14.64%
20.59%
22.90%
1
1
Percent of households with a resident living alone
32.75%
22.18%
39.40%
Percent of households with a resident over 65 and
living alone
14.69%
8.38%
10.00%
Percent of households with 1 or more people per
room
3.02%
8.58%
6.00%
2.18
5.3
12.1
Percent of buildings with air conditioning
0.52%
0.21%
Percent of renter households whose gross rent is
50% or more of their household income
27.75%
8.87%
2
4
90.56%
88.25%
Healthy Food Score
Residential housing violations, per 1000 people
Housing Resiliency Score
Economy
Percent of the population over 16 that are employed
Economy Resiliency Score
Health
22.10%
92.00%
1
Shelters and cooling centers within .25 miles, per
1000 people
0.38
0.21
0.13
Shelters and cooling centers within .25 miles, per
1000 people (daytime population)
0.25
0.21
0.0001
Percent of the population within 30 minutes commute
of a hospital or clinic
Forthcoming
Forthcoming
Percent of the population reporting a disability
9.28%
10.72%
10.50%
Preventable hospitalizations, per 100,000 people
733.1
780.8
682.5
3
1
Percent of the population over 85
2.58%
1.73%
2.20%
Percent of the population over 65
14.13%
14.65%
13.70%
Percent of the population under 18
10.35%
17.00%
13.40%
Percent of the population under 5
2.60%
3.55%
4.40%
Percent of the population non-white
59.04%
69.69%
50.00%
Percent of the population Latino
10.80%
18.03%
14.70%
Percent of the population Black / African American
5.01%
10.80%
5.80%
Percent of the population Asian
33.74%
48.55%
33.20%
Percent of households below 200% of the poverty
rate
Population density, people per square mile
31.14%
28.16%
28.00%
5349.84
21384.7
17179.1
Daytime density, people per square mile
6686.2
21085.9
23280.9
3
2
Health Resiliency Score
Demographics
San Francisco
Demographics Resiliency Score
San Francisco Department of Public Health 7 In a hazard event, residents of residential care homes and facilities will require city resources as most of the residents are more likely to have pre‐existing health conditions, and are often reliant on medicine, respirators and other medical devices. Any disruption in electricity service or public transportation service, or sheltering‐in‐place will be particularly impactful to this population. The following is a map of residential care homes and facilities for the elderly, children, chronically‐ill, and other vulnerable populations that will require special aid and city services in the event of a hazard. Ocean View has one of the largest concentrations of Adult Residential Facilities in the City. San Francisco Department of Public Health 8 Hazard Assessment – Earthquakes (Very High Risk) The Lakeshore and Ocean View neighborhoods lie adjacent to the Pacific Ocean only miles from the San Andreas Fault. In the event of an earthquake, proximity to community assets and commercial resources increases in importance if there are gaps in transportation, electricity, water, and other important services. There are two maps on the next page. The first map is a liquefaction/landslide map. According to the liquefaction/landslide map, much of these neighborhoods have been built on sediment and unstable land predicted to liquefy in an earthquake. Structures built on top of liquefaction or landslide zones are more prone to more severe shaking in an earthquake. Liquefaction and landslide zones are a significant threat to public health. However, liquefaction is just one indicator that may predict the damage caused by an earthquake. The second map, courtesy of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) shaking intensity viewer, shows the shaking intensity of a 7.9 magnitude earthquake on the San Andreas Fault. Areas that are ‘red’ in this map would have a high shaking intensity. In this scenario, much of the Lakeshore and Ocean View neighborhoods would experience severe shaking intensity. Areas with higher shaking intensity are more likely to suffer more damage in an earthquake event. The ABAG viewer can be found at http://gis.abag.ca.gov/website/Hazards/. Both maps only offer some insight into the neighborhoods most likely to be impacted by an earthquake. Although liquefaction and shaking intensity are two established ways to predict the extent of damage, an earthquake’s impact may be more or less than described on the following maps. San Francisco Department of Public Health 9 San Francisco Department of Public Health 10 Hazard Assessment ‐ Flood Inundation (High Risk) As climate change accelerates the pace of sea‐level rise, and erratic precipitation patterns and pineapple express atmospheric rivers cause extreme storms, flood inundation will become a problem for San Francisco’s east and west coastlines. 48‐inch flood inundation, a conservative prediction, demonstrates how flooding threaten parts of Ocean Beach, Great Highway, sewage treatment plant, and spillover will affect Lake Merced. In addition, not all flooding during extreme storm events will happen along the coastline. San Francisco is also prone to sewer overflows, downed trees and power‐lines, and other inland effects of storms. According to a rough analysis of 311 calls regarding flooding during the most recent extreme storm event, Ocean View was especially vulnerable to sewage overflows. San Francisco Department of Public Health 11 Hazard Assessment ‐ Extreme Heat (High Risk) San Francisco is kept cool by the marine layer. As the marine layer off the Pacific Coast moves over San Francisco in the late afternoon or early evening, the city tends to cool. According to historical weather and mortality data gathered by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, there is an increase in health risk when temperatures ‘spike’ over 85‐degrees for two straight days without an adequate drop in nighttime temperature. Those most vulnerable to extreme heat are children, the elderly, people with diabetes and other preexisting conditions, and people with mobility issues. The eastern portion of Ocean View is at risk for extreme heat, This risk is exacerbated by the neighborhood’s higher‐than‐average elderly population, adult res and large population of residents who do not speak English ‘very well’. San Francisco Department of Public Health 12 Hazard Assessment – Tsunami (Medium Risk) The coast of the Lakeshore Neighborhood lies in a Tsunami Hazard Zone. A tsunami would occur after a large earthquake off the Pacific Coast. The impact of a tsunami could be devastating to San Francisco coastal communities. The following map was created by the California Emergency Management Agency, the California Geologic Survey, and the Tsunami Research Center at USC. The map shows communities especially at risk for tsunami inundation. This map combines various inundation scenarios and does not represent inundation from a single scenario event. A tsunami off the Pacific coast may produce more or less flooding than represented on this map. San Francisco Department of Public Health 13 Hazard Assessment ‐ Air Quality (Low Risk) Winds coming off the Pacific Ocean keep the air quality very good. Most of the air quality risk is concentrated along the freeways that comprise the eastern and southern edges of the Ocean View Neighborhood. Residents most vulnerable to the respiratory effects of poor air quality include children, the elderly, and those with preexisting conditions such as asthma or allergies. San Francisco Department of Public Health 14 Hazard Indicators
Flood Inundation and Storm Surge
The 100 year flood plain is the area most susceptible to
flooding due to waves, storm-surge, and high tides. The
plain is generally adjacent to the waterfront, at a relatively
low elevation, and is currently not protected by a sea-wall or
other preventative infrastructure. Residents, businesses, students and tourists in the flood plain are the most vulnerable
to flooding, and will need additional resources in the case of
a hazard event. For our analysis, we will examine the most
likely 2050 sea-level rise projection with a 100-year storm
event. Because maps were not available for 52 inch inundation, we have used a 48-inch inundation zone which equals a
2050 time frame with a 50-year storm.
Although the flood inundation projections forecast some
flooding along the Pacific Ocean shoreline, the neighborhoods most vulnerable are on the eastern edge of the City
along the San Francisco Bay. These communities include
along the waterfront in North Beach and the Financial
District, Mission Bay, SOMA, Bayview Hunters Point, and
much of Treasure Island.
Heat Vulnerability
In 2012, the San Francisco Department of Public Health
developed a Heat Vulnerability Index to identify neighborhoods most vulnerable to extreme heat conditions. Elements
of the index include impervious surface, tree coverage,
traffic, air quality, age, and density.
The neighborhoods most vulnerable to extreme heat
include the densely populated Chinatown and Downtown
neighborhoods, the Financial District, Mission District,
SOMA, Bayview Hunters Point, and parts of the
Western Addition.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Tsunami and Liquefaction/Landslide Zones
Although not climate change-related in nature, San
Francisco is susceptible to both tsunami and earthquake
hazard events. Liquefaction and landslide zones are those
most vulnerable to shaking in an earthquake. Liquefaction
zones are areas where the soil is less stable and more prone
to liquefying. If the soil liquefies, the structures above are
prone to more extreme and erratic movements in times of
stress, such as an earthquake. The areas with the largest liquefaction zones are along the eastern border of the city and
the Marina district. These areas are comprised of landfill as
opposed to natural hard rock or other solid surfaces. Similar
to extreme heat, flood inundation, and air quality concerns,
tsunami and earthquake vulnerability are exacerbated by
pre-existing socioeconomic inequalities. The process for preparing for these events is similar to that of climate changerelated disasters. In tsunamis and earthquakes, resiliency is
affected by quality of housing, financial resources available,
neighborhood amenities, government services, public transportation, and individual pre-existing physical and mental
health conditions.
Environmental Indicators
Impervious Surface
Impervious surfaces can exacerbate the impact of flood inundation and extreme heat. Neighborhoods without natural
areas can experience both increased storm-water runoff and
diminished heat absorption.
The neighborhoods with the highest concentration of
impervious surfaces include both the urban core of the city:
Downtown, the Financial District, Chinatown, SOMA and
Nob Hill. The SOMA neighborhood is vulnerable to both
extreme heat and flood inundation. Its high concentration of
impervious surface compounds this risk.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Tree Cover / Canopy
In contrast to the impervious surface indicator, tree canopy
can both increase storm-water absorption and provide shade
during heat waves. Trees can improve air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide, producing oxygen, and trapping and
filtering other pollutants.
While the areas with the highest concentration of tree
cover are Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, and other natural
areas. The Mission District, Noe Valley, and the Western
Addition have higher-than-average tree coverage. SOMA,
Chinatown, Bayview Hunters Point, Mission Bay, and the
Downtown neighborhoods have lowest percentage of tree
cover in the city.
Air Quality
The number of San Franciscans who live in census tracts
with PM2.5 concentration above California standards is
set to increase. Using data from the Bay Area Air Quality
Management District (BAAQMD), the San Francisco
Department of Public Health modeled total PM2.5 concentration from all sources in the city.
The San Francisco neighborhoods with the worst air
quality include those along the freeway corridors, heavilytrafficked arterials, and/or adjacent to industrial activities.
These communities include Bayview Hunters Point, Outer
Mission, the Mission, Bernal Heights, the Financial District,
and SOMA.
Contaminated Sites
In a hazard event, living or working within close proximity of a contaminated site can increase risk of exposure to
hazardous materials. Runoff from inundation events may
contaminate drinking water or storm water, and fumes
caused by extreme heat may worsen nearby air quality. In
San Francisco, many sites adjacent to the Bay Side of the
waterfront have had heavy-industrial uses. These sites, in the
Mission Bay, Bayview Hunters Point and SOMA neighborhoods, would pose a significant risk to surrounding communities in a hazard event.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Transportation Indicators
Active Transportation
Active Transportation is correlated with health outcomes
including lower rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Those that routinely bicycle or walk will be less dependent
on city services in the case of a hazard event. The urban
design of neighborhoods effects active transportation
totals, and the neighborhoods that are the densest and
closest to jobs, stores, and other services encourage active
transportation. The transportation districts with the highest
percentages of residents who make trips by foot or bicycle
are Downtown, Chinatown, SOMA and the Mission.
Public Transit Score
The public transit score is a relative measure of the number
of transit routes within one mile, weighted by frequency and
distance. Those served best by public transit live in neighborhoods that are generally more compact, and offer more
social services. The areas with the best public transit service
are the downtown neighborhoods of Downtown, Financial
District, Chinatown, Nob Hill, and SOMA, and along the
BART line to Mission and Bernal Heights. The areas with
the least transit access are the Bayview Hunters Point,
Parkside and the Outer Sunset. These populations are more
likely to be car-dependent.
Community Indicators
Violent Crime
High rates of violent crime exacerbates distrust among
neighbors and communities. Violence is negatively correlated
with social cohesion. Using the measurement of offenses /
1000 people, the areas with the highest violent crime rate
include the Bayview Hunters Point, SOMA, Downtown, and
the Financial district.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Voting Rates
Voting rates can approximate the degree to which residents
are tapped into city services. Political engagement has been
proven to be correlated with health effects—those that are
more politically aware also have greater awareness of government policies and procedures. The areas with the highest
voter turnout are the Twin Peaks, West of Twin Peaks, Noe
Valley and the Castro/Upper Market neighborhoods. These
tend to be some of the more affluent neighborhoods in the
city. Conversely, some of the neighborhoods with the lowest
turnout include the Bayview Hunters Point and Visitacion
Valley neighborhoods.
New to the Region
Those new to a community may not be as aware of local
organizations, evacuation plans, and private businesses, and
may be more likely to be socially isolated. The neighborhoods with the highest concentration of residents who have
lived in San Francisco for a year or less include the neighborhoods with universities like Lakeshore (SF State), the Inner
Richmond (USF) and Mission Bay (UCSF), and neighborhoods like SOMA with large concentrations of biotech firms
and other large employment centers.
Citizenship
Those without United States citizenship have less access to
many public resources. Those without citizenship are less
likely to have health insurance, less likely to ask police and
health officials for assistance in the case of emergency, less
likely to be employed, and are more likely to be low-income.
Although non-citizens may have robust informal networks
that strengthen their social capital, this population is more
likely to be isolated from the government and public service
sectors. The neighborhoods with the highest concentration
of residents without American citizenship are Chinatown,
Mission Bay, North Beach, and the southern Visitacion
Valley and Excelsior neighborhoods.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Non-English Speaking
Those who cannot speak English will have a more difficult
time recognizing warnings and public service announcements, and interacting with public health officials. Though
this population may have strong informal social capital,
isolation from city services puts those without English
comprehension at risk in a hazard event. The neighborhoods with the highest proportion of non-English speaking residents include the Chinatown, Visitacion Valley,
and Crocker-Amazon, Outer Sunset, and Outer Richmond
neighborhoods.
Public Realm Indicators
Healthy Food Score
Those in proximity to healthy food are generally less
vulnerable before, during, and after a hazard event. During
a hazard event, populations near food retail establishments
will have the access to healthy food options that may
prove more difficult for auto-dependent populations. The
food market score is a relative measure of the number and
variety of retail food resources within one mile, weighted
by food offerings and distance. The neighborhoods that
have the highest food retail score are some of the densest
neighborhoods in the city, including the Financial District,
Castro/Upper Market, Nob Hill, and Chinatown.
Educational Attainment
According to a Vienna University of Economics and
Business study, there is no indicator more correlated with
resilience to climate hazard events than educational attainment. Education allows a resident to more adequately
prepare for, respond to, and recover from disaster events.
Those with higher levels of educational attainment have
more job opportunities and are likelier to have higher wages.
The neighborhoods with the lowest percentage of residents
25-and-older with a high school diploma include Chinatown
and Downtown, and the southeastern neighborhoods of
Bayview Hunters Point, Crocker Amazon, Visitacion Valley
and Excelsior.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Proximity and Access to Pharmacies
Those dependent on medication are especially vulnerable
in hazard events. If residents are forced to shelter in place
or the transit network becomes disrupted, many residents
might not be able to access a pharmacy to pick up necessary
prescriptions. The neighborhoods with the largest percentage of residents within a quarter-mile of a pharmacy are the
dense heavily-commercial Downtown, Financial District,
Chinatown, and Nob Hill neighborhoods. The Excelsior,
Visitacion Valley, Outer Sunset, and Treasure Island, all
primarily residential, lack access to pharmacies.
Housing Indicators
Living Alone
Those that live alone are at greater risk of illness or injury.
They are more likely to be socially isolated, and will need
more assistance to prepare for a disaster, to shelter during a disaster, and to recover after a disaster. In the 2003
Paris heat wave, 92% of all hospitalized lived alone. At even
greater risk are elderly residents living alone. This population may need assistance evacuating and obtaining necessary
medication or care. The neighborhoods with the highest
percentage of one person households are Downtown / Civic
Center, Marina and Lakeshore. Downtown / Civic Center
also has a relatively high percentage of people aged 65-andolder living alone. This population will need extra city
resources in the case of a hazard event.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Overcrowding
SFDPH defines an overcrowded household as a household
with 1 or more resident per room. Residential overcrowding has long been identified as an important housing issue
and health concern. Residential overcrowding is a complex
issue which involves several push factors such as housing
affordability, low income, and immigration concentrations.
Overcrowding results in poorer living conditions and can
contribute to higher levels of ill-health, including respiratory
and infectious disease such as tuberculosis. Overcrowding
also tends to be linked to poor ventilation and increased
moisture in the house. Damp housing encourages mites,
cockroaches, virus and molds, which lead to chronic illness.
Overcrowding not only impacts physical health, but also
mental health, through high noise levels and lack of privacy.
Crowding within housing units can increase the effect of
extreme heat and heat hazard events, and can impede evacuation. Chinatown has the largest percent of overcrowded
households, but SOMA, the Financial District, and Downtown
all have large concentrations of overcrowding.
Residential Health and Safety Violations
Housing quality is an important measure of risk and vulnerability in hazard events. Passive cooling systems can
prevent heat-related illnesses in extreme heat events. The
effects of cold snaps can be mitigated with good insulation.
Flood inundation events might exacerbate mold and rot.
Residences with high volumes of health and safety violations
are more likely to be in either states of neglect or disuse. The
Downtown neighborhood has the highest concentration of
residential code violations from the Department of Building
and Inspections, the Fire Department, and the Department
of Public Health.
Air Conditioning
Despite some disagreement between the climate change
mitigation and adaptation communities over the use of air
conditioning units, in housing stock without other forms of
ventilation, air conditioning can prevent the health effects
of extreme heat. Residents in buildings with centralized
air conditioning units are at far lesser risk of internal heat
stress. In multi-unit buildings without centralized air,
personal units often place the financial burden of cooling on
low income residents and incentivize disuse. According to
a 2009 California Residential Appliance Saturation Study
(RASS), most San Francisco residents live without access to
air conditioning.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Excessive Rent Burden
Those that dedicate at least 50% or more of their monthly
income to rent are likely to be vulnerable to any financial
effects of climate hazard events. This population is the
most at risk to become food insecure if agricultural prices
increase, and some of the least likely to seek health care in
the event of injury. The areas with the highest concentration of rent burdened households are the Downtown and
Bayview Hunters Point neighborhoods. Lakeshore and
Oceanview have high concentrations as well, but that could
be due to San Francisco State University and its large student
population.
Economy Indicators
Employment Status
Those that are employed are more likely to have the financial resources to prepare for and respond to, and absorb
the indirect impacts of hazard situations. A community
of coworkers can be an important resource to disseminate
information before and after hazard events. Because health
insurance is provided through an employer, those without
steady employment forced to pay for out-of-pocket coverage
may be disincentivized to seek health care. The neighborhoods with the highest concentration of unemployment are
Bayview Hunters Point, Downtown, and Excelsior.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Health Indicators
Proximity and Access to Shelters and Cooling Centers
In the case of a hazard event, walkable access to shelters
and cooling centers allows residents without safe housing or
air conditioning ability to get the assistance they require.
The neighborhoods with the largest percentage of residents within a quarter-mile of a shelter or cooling center
are Downtown, Western Addition, and Marina neighborhoods. Visitacion Valley, Twin Peaks, and Mission Bay have
little access to shelters and cooling centers. Those without
automobiles may need assistance to reach a shelter or cooling
center in the case of a hazard event.
The development of cooling centers started in 2012.
There are various resources from across many city departments and agencies that will be utilized in preparation for
or during an extreme heat emergency event and organizing
cooling centers. SFDPH in conjunction with DEM has been
developing a list of cooling centers and is developing MOUs
with those sites. This process is still on going. The initial list
of cooling shelters was developed from analysis of high heat
vulnerability areas and cross referencing those areas with the
DEM shelter database. In addition, the San Francisco library
has agreed for their facilities (where appropriate) to be used
as cooling centers. San Francisco Human Service Agency
(HSA) with support from American Red Cross (ARC)
will be the lead agency to open and setup cooling centers
Proximity and Access to Hospitals and Clinics
The ability to access a hospital or clinic is tantamount in
extreme hazard events. For populations without access to
an automobile, the city transportation and health network
influences the ease and accessibility of medical care. The
Outer Richmond, Outer Sunset, and Parkside neighborhoods
to the west, and the southern Crocker Amazon, Visitacion
Valley, Excelsior, and Ocean View neighborhoods all have a
low density of medical care facilities while simultaneously in
areas with low or very low transit scores.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
(including provision of staff and supplies). HSA will contact
ARC, DPH, and other departments if additional resources
are needed. Because identifying and selecting cooling center
and shelter locations is a fluid process, the proximity and
access map is subject to change in the coming months
and years.
Mobility Disability
Those with disabilities are at greater risk during a hazard
event and may need assistance evacuating or getting to a
cooling center during a hazard event. Chinatown, Financial
District, Downtown and SOMA have the highest percentage
of disabled residents. These locations are all high-density,
and well-served by public transit and healthy food options.
Conversely, the relatively isolated Twin Peaks neighborhood’s large concentration of disabled residents may need
more public assistance in the case of major hazard event.
Preventable Hospitalizations
The preventable hospitalizations indicator measures the
reach of San Francisco outpatient care. Preventable hospitalizations include diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease, hypertension, heart failure, dehydration, bacterial
pneumonia, urinary tract infection, angina without procedure, and asthma. Those that have any of these pre-existing
health conditions are highly vulnerable to hazard events. If
a resident is hospitalized for one of these conditions, it also
indicates that they might not receiving proper care on a
routine basis. The areas with the highest rate of preventable hospitalizations include the Bayview Hunters Point,
Chinatown, Western Addition and SOMA.
Demographic Indicators
Age (Over 85, Over 65, Under 18, and Under 5)
Elderly populations are at an increased risk for mortality.
They are vulnerable to cardiovascular, respiratory disease,
and other heat-related illnesses. The elderly are also more
likely to have mobility constraints that decrease resilience
in disaster situations, are more likely to be socially isolated,
and dependent on city and federal resources such as social
security income. Children are similarly vulnerable. Children
develop dehydration, malnutrition and exhaustion more
quickly than adults. A child’s respiratory rate can be two-tothree times higher than an adult respiratory rate, so children
experience the effects of poor air quality to a greater degree
than an adult. During hazard situations, children may need
assistance and resources to evacuate or seek shelter. Postdisaster, parents with children are more likely to be financially burdened if day care facilities and schools are affected.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
The elderly residents of Chinatown are especially at risk due
to the neighborhood’s high residential density, overcrowded
living conditions, and urban heat island vulnerability. Some
of the neighborhoods with the highest elderly population
are located in the northeast quadrant of the city. These
neighborhoods include Chinatown, Nob Hill, Russian Hill,
and Pacific Heights. The neighborhoods with the highest concentration of elderly residential care facilities are
the Western Addition and Presidio Heights. The elderly
residents of Chinatown are especially at risk due to the
neighborhood’s high residential density, overcrowded living
conditions, and urban heat island vulnerability.
The areas with the largest percentage of children include
the southern Bayview Hunters Point, Visitacion Valley,
Crocker Amazon and West of Twin Peaks neighborhoods.
In addition to large concentration of children, the daytime
population of the Parkside and the Outer Sunset neighborhood includes many students. In the event of a hazard event,
these areas would require additional support and services.
Ethnicity
Race and ethnicity are major indicators of community resilience. Because of historical and current structural, political,
cultural, and economic power imbalances, many minority
groups lack the political access and economic resources to
recover from hazard events. Many of these same groups
are often concentrated in at-risk neighborhoods of the city,
live in vulnerable housing stock, and have greater rates of
poverty. During the 2006 California heat wave, there were
comparative increases in the rates of emergency department
visits for most non-white racial and ethnic groups.
Much of San Francisco’s African American population
is concentrated in the Bayview Hunters Point and Western
Addition neighborhoods. Chinatown, the Outer Sunset,
Outer Richmond, Parkside, Crocker Amazon, and Visitacion
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Valley are all majority Asian. The Latino population is
concentrated in the Mission District and Bernal Heights.
The rest of the city is predominately white, with the highest
concentrations in the Marina, Pacific Heights, Noe Valley,
and the Castro/Upper Market neighborhoods.
Low Income Families (Families at or below 200% of the poverty rate)
Wealth enables communities to absorb and recover from
losses more quickly. There is a strong correlation between
people that live below the poverty level and infant mortality, heart disease, cancers, and homicide. People who live
in poverty also tend to suffer from social deprivation and
are less resilient in disasters. Poverty institutes barriers on
everyday life such as poor nutrition, lack of preventive medical services, and unhealthy housing conditions47. The damage
from poverty not only comes from material determinants but
also from the social and psychological problems that
it causes48.
Because San Francisco’s average median income and
cost-of-living are both so high, we have defined a ‘low
income family’ as one at or below 200% of the poverty rate.
The neighborhoods with the highest concentration of low
income households are in the dense Chinatown, Financial
District, and Downtown neighborhoods and Treasure Island.
San Francisco Department of Public Health
Population and Daytime Density
The higher the density in a particular neighborhood, the
more resources needed to mitigate the impacts of all hazard events before, during, and after the disaster. Population
density can affect heat vulnerability by raising surrounding temperatures in urban areas. During and after a hazard
event, density might challenge evacuation efforts and strain
public health resources. Because a population fluctuates over
the course of the day, we’ve decided to create two density
indicators: one that counts residents, and one that approximates those present during normal work hours. Daytime
density measures commute patterns, local school enrollment
population, and employment density. The daytime population indicator does not account for university student enrollment and tourism.
The neighborhoods with the highest residential density are Nob Hill, Downtown, Chinatown, the Mission,
and parts of the Inner Richmond. The neighborhoods with
the highest daytime density are SOMA, Downtown, the
Financial District, North Beach, and the Inner Sunset.
Although the indicator does not include university populations, the major San Francisco universities: San Francisco
State in the Lake Shore neighborhood, University of San
Francisco in the Inner Richmond, and City College of San
Francisco in the Outer Mission all will have high daytime
populations.
San Francisco Department of Public Health